For thousands of years, river, lake and coastal cultures have stood within their canoes and upon rafts to paddle in a standing position. Conceptually therefore, the idea of standing and paddling using an extended paddle is far from being a new concept. Recently, with modernized materials and designs, standup paddle boarding SUP has become significantly more popular both as casual recreation and as a competitive sport. Although SUPs have evolved over time, current designs are based on the rudimentary concept of an oversized surfboard. The wide, flat shape of a surfboard hull is limited in terms of hydrodynamic efficiency for paddling; it is based on a planing hull designed to skim across the surface of water at high speed. This speed is achieved when riding a wave but not when paddling on flat water where most paddling typically takes place.
SUP boards designed for speed sacrifice stability because they are narrow which makes them tippy. Maneuverability of a typical SUP board is limited as well; it is achieved by the use of the paddle and dependent on the skill level of the paddler. In order to maintain a straight course, a paddler must switch the paddle to the opposite side of the board every three to five strokes. Every switch requires a measure of time that can add up significantly over a long distance. In order to make a turn, the paddler is required to paddle on the outside of a turn, and sometimes even back paddle on the inside to make a sharp enough turn.